Baked Alaskan

(WTNH) - Dave Foster from Foster's Restaurant in New Haven joined News Channel 8 @ Noon with a recipe for Baked Alaskan.

1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt:
1 vanilla bean
1 cup toasted coconut (or substitute your favorite flavor)

Combine in a medium saucepan sugar, cream and salt. Split bean lengthwise in half and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture, then add the bean. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a bowl and stir in:

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk

Refrigerate until cold, overnight if possible. Remove the vanilla bean, pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze as directed. Adding the coconut at the designated time

Vanilla cake
2, 9-inch round layers
Have all ingredients at room temperature, about 70°F. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour cake pans. Whisk together thoroughly in a bowl:
2 2/3 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine in another bowl
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or 1 teaspoon vanilla plus 1?2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat in a large bowl until creamy.
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Gradually add and beat on high speed until light, 3 to 5 minutes:
1 1/2 cups sugar

Beat in one at a time:
4 large egg yolks

On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts, beating until smooth. Using clean beaters, beat in a large bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form:

4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Gradually add, beating on high speed:
1/4 cup sugar

Beat until the peaks are stiff but not dry. Use a rubber spatula to fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Divide the batter between the pans and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.

Merangue
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
5 egg whites
1/4 tsp crème of tartar
In a small pot over low heat, combine sugar and water. Swirl the pot over the burner to dissolve the sugar completely. Do not stir. Increase the heat and boil to soft-ball stage (235 to 240 degrees). Use a candy thermometer for accuracy. Wash down the inside wall of the pot with a wet pastry brush. This will help prevent sugar crystals from forming around the sides, falling in and causing a chain reaction. Prepare your meringue. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the eggs whites on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium, and beat until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over fluffed egg whites. Beat until the egg whites are stiff, glossy and cool

Construction
Soak the 1st layer of cake with coconut rum and place ice cream on top. Soak the other layer with coconut rum and place on top of the ice cream making a sandwich. Take the meringue and pipe it on top of the cake and place in an oven on broil. It shouldn't take more than a minute to brown the meringue so keep a close watch so it doesn't burn. Eat immediately.